Compare towns
Starks vs Steuben vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Steuben has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Starks | Steuben | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,388 |
2,676Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
44.9±12.3 about the ME average |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steuben and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$173,900±$32kHighest 41% below ME |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
| Steuben and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$850±$218 25% below ME |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,029Highest 33% below ME |
$1,740 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 24 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.